Container for sheet material



R. E. ACKER CONTAINER FOR SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 15, 1960 FIG. 4

RALPH E. ACKER INVENTOR.

BY AJMM June 26, 1962 3 G I I l I I l I I I I l l I I F NH. 2 A w H. w I

United States Patent Texas Filed Sept. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 56,178 8Claims. (Cl. Zil660) This invention relates to packaging sheet materialparticularly where the surfaces of such material are finely finished andmust be protected against abrasion. In a more specific aspect, theinvention relates to a container for such material in which a base and alid are provided with a wedging action therebetween.

Many products marketed in sheet form have highl finished surfaces andthus must be packaged for shipment in such a manner as to prevent anyabrasion or damage thereto.

Generally speaking, sheet material having such finish is of metal. Anycontainer designed therefor must be able to withstand shock as will beencountered in loading and transit as well as to prevent any abrasion tothe surfaces thereof. At the same time the container should itself be oflight weight and should embody a minimum of material thus to permitfabrication thereof with minimum expense.

While shipping crates have been provided in accordance with prior artprocedures, applicant has devised a new shipping container whichpresents substantial advantages over prior art crates and may befabricated from minimum materials and with minimum time.

More particularly, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention there is provided a package for sheet stock whichcomprises a base which includes a first thin form plate generally ofcorrugated fiber board having a first peripheral band extending therearound on the inner face thereof. The peripheral band has inner wallsurfaces which are perpendicular to the plane of the plate and which areso dimensioned as to correspond substantially with the externaldimensions of the sheet stock to be accommodated therein. A lid isprovided which includes a second form plate of similar material having asecond peripheral band extending there around on the inner face thereofwith the first and second bands having outer and inner wall surfacesrespectively of sloping sides and corresponding dimensions for forming awedge fit as the lid is placed over the base.

A third and fourth peripheral bands preferably are secured to the outerfaces of the form plates. Such bands when of widths exceeding thecombined widths of the first and second peripheral bands provide aperipheral support for the contained stock extending inwardly of theinner wall surfaces of the first peripheral band.

In a more specific aspect, there is provided a container of rectangularconfiguration having a base with peripheral cleats thereon, the innerwalls of which are perpendicular to the plane of the base. There isfurther provided a lid of corresponding dimension having a peripheralband so shaped that together with the peripheral band on the base formsa wedge fit as the lid is placed onto the base. A plurality of bearingcleats are then secured to opposite outside surfaces of the containerand extend transversely thereaeross at corresponding locations. Aplurality of strapping means may then encircle the container at thelocations of said cleats to secure the lid to the base, wedging themtogether securely to fix the position of sheets placed inside said base.

For further objects and advantages of the present invention and for amore complete description thereof, reference may now be had to thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

3,040,880 Fatentecl June 26, 1962 FIG. 1 is a plan view of the crate ofthe present invention ready for shipment;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the crate of FIG. 1 taken along the line2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional View corresponding with FIG. 2illustrating the location of sheet stock therein and with the lid inposition to be lowered onto the base;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged end view of one corner of the crate of FIGS. l-3;and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a corner of the base and lid laidside-by-side.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a top view of a containerwhich is bound ready for shipment. The container comprises a flat sheetor form plate 10 carrying on the outer surface thereof a peripheral bandcomprised of the cleats 11 and 12 extending along the sides thereof andcleats 13 and 14 extending across the ends. Three intermediate cleatsare illustrated extending across the container, namely, the cleats 15,16 and 17. Straps 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 encircle the container and bindthe sections thereof together in a manner as will be understood from thefollowing description to form a unitary package which is rigid and mayenclose a plurality of sheets of material to be shipped whilemaintaining them free from the possibility of abrasion of the surfacesthereof.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a sectional view of thecontainer taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1. In this embodiment it willbe noted that a form sheet or plate 10 is made of corrugated fiberboard. The end cleats 13 and 14 are secured to the outer surface of theform plate 10. The longitudinal cleat 12 is seen in FIG. 2 as extendingthe length of the crate between the cleats 13 and 14.

The container also includes a base having a form plate 319 which is ofdimension corresponding with form plate In. End cleats 31 and 32corresponding with the cleats 13 and 14 are secured to the outer surfaceof the form plate 30. A longitudinal cleat 33 also is secured to theouter surface of the form plate 31 The form plate 30 together with thecleats 31, 32 and 33 comprise the base of the container. Secured to theinner surface of form plate 30 is a peripheral band of cleats includingend cleats 35 and 36. Cleats of similar nature extend along the lengthof the crate parallel to the longitudinal. cleat 33. The cleats 35 and36 together with the longitudinal cleats form an inner bay in the cratein which sheet material may be placed. Preferably the peripheral bandformed by such cleats is dimensioned exactly to correspond with theouter dimension of the sheets to be accommodated. The inner wallsurfaces of the peripheral band formed by cleats 35 and 36 isperpendicular to the plane of the form sheet 31}. The cleats 35 and 36are of height selected to accommodate the desired number of sheets ofmaterial to be packaged in a given unit. The height of the wallsurrounding the bay may be variable so that different package sizes mayreadily be devised.

The cleats 31, the form sheet 3t) and the inner cleat 35 may beadhesively secured together orthe cleats may be interconnected by meansof screws or nails. Two nails 37 are illustrated as extending throughthe cleat 31 into the cleat 35. The outer Wall surfaces of theperipheral band formed by cleats 35 and 36 slope outwardly anddownwardly from the top thereof to the inner surface of the form plate39. The intersection of the Wall surface and the form plate 30 defines aline 38 which is inset from the edge 39 of the form plate. Such a base,which is characterized by a peripheral cleating band having verticalinner Wall surfaces and sloping outer wall surfaces, is of particularadvantage in the packaging of materials when employed with a lid inwhich an outer peripheral band is provided with sloping surfaces whichare complementary to the outer sloping surfaces of the peripheral bandon the base.

More particularly, a peripheral band is formed on the lid which iscomprised of cleats 4t) and 41 together with corresponding cleatsextending along the length thereof. The inner wall surfaces of thecleats 4t} and 41 slope from the top thereof upward to the surface ofthe form plate and intersect the same along a line such as lines 42which correspond with the periphery of the upper surface of the cleats3S and 36. Cleat 4th is secured either adhesively or as by means ofnails 43 to the form plate 10 and to cleat 13. Thus the lid with itsperipheral band when placed over the base with its peripheral band issecured thereto as by straps 2t) and 24-. Pressure which forces the lidonto the base serves to wedge the lid tightly on the base. There is thusprevented any lateral play between the top and base. At the same timethe top may be fitted over the base with a minimum of difficulty sincethe wedging surfaces thereof serve to guide the lid into place.

It will be noted that cleats 13 and 31 are of such width that theyextend from the edge 39 of the crate inwardly to points beyond the innervertical wall of the end cleat 35. Similarly, the cleats 14 and 32extend inwardly beyond the wall of the cleat '36. By this means thecleats 13, 31, 14, and 32 together with corresponding longitudinalcleats provide a peripheral supporting band which will support the edgesof any sheets placed in the package. Thus the fiber board form plates 10and 3t} serve merely as forms for the cleating structure and providesome rigidity in directions parallel to the planes thereof. However,cleating material is provided on the surfaces of the form plates 10 and30 so as to Withstand all the bearing forces required when loaded withsheet material.

For example, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, the lid has been removed fromthe base and sheet material is illustrated as it is being loaded intothe base. The cleats 31 and 32 are so dimensioned that the weight of thesheets 50 is substantially completely supported by the cleats 31 and 32.By employing a peripheral band on the base through the use of cleats 35and 36, an enclosure may be readily provided which substantiallycorresponds in dimension with the outer dimensions of the sheets 56 Thecorrugated fiber board form plates 10 and 30 may be provided withspecial finishes on the inner surfaces thereof to prevent any abrasionof the surfaces of the sheets 50. The cleats 13, 31, 14 and 32 may bestapled or nailed to cleats 4t), 35, 41 and 36, respectively, as bystapling or nailing such that all possible abrading materials employedin the fabrication will be used only in zones outside the perimeter ofthe sheets 50. The supporting cleats 15, 16 and 17 of FIG. 1 may then besecured to the outer surface of the form plate 10 and similar cleats tothe outer surface of form plate 30 by adhesive means only so that nometallic fastening means will be required within the perimeter of theplates 50.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the end of one corner of the container of FIG.3 is illustrated in exploded view. The cleats 13 and 31 are shown on theouter surfaces of the form plates 10 and 30, respectively. Cleat 35 andits associated longitudinal cleat 35a are illustrated as secured to theinner surface of the form plate 39. Similarly, the cleat 4t} and itsassociated longitudinal cleat 40a are illustrated as secured to theinner surface of the form plate 10. It will be noted that the sheets 50extend at the ends thereof as to overlap the extensions of the outercleats 13 and 31 so that hearing forces may be withstood. It is to benoted that corrugated fiber board presents substantial strength incompression over the area corresponding With the extensions of cleats 13and 31 so that deformation of the corrugated fiber board undercompression is maintained at a minimum. The compression forces may bethus borne by and maintained within permissible limits by adding as manyof the intermediate cleats -17, FIG. 1, as are necessary to support theweight of the material packaged. A better understanding of theconstruction may be had from FIG. 5 in which an isometric view of thecorner of the crate is illustrated. It will clearly be seen that thecleats 35 and 35a are inset from the edges of the form plate 30 with theouter wall surfaces thereof being beveled upwardly and away from theouter edge of the form plate 39. In a similar manner the cleats 40 andMia have outwardly beveled inner walls and the cleats 40 and 46a extendalong the perimeter of the form sheet 10 so that there are providedwedge surfaces which are complementary with the Wedge surfaces on thebase 30. If desired, the dim nsions of the peripheral band on the basemay be made slightly larger than the minimum dimensions on theperipheral band on the lid so that the fastening of the lid onto thebase will serve to cause the lid and base to form a practically unitarybody comprising the top, and base, and which encloses the material to bepackaged.

The flexibility of the present invention, of course, is apparent in thatstacks of sheet material of many different thicknesses may be packagedby merely employing eripheral bands whose height is such as to match theheight of the stack of material to be packaged.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the form plates 16 and 3dare provided with a smooth finish or waxed inner surfaces. The edgecleats on both inner and outer surfaces are fastened to the form platesboth adhesively and by staples or nails. The intermediate cleats l5-l7of FIG. 1, however, are preferably secured only by adhesive means andwithout the use of any metallic fastening device which would otherwiseabrade the surface of the packaged sheets.

While in the foregoing description the peripheral bands have beenillustrated as formed from Wooden cleats and having correspondingsloping surfaces for providing a wedge fit between the lid and the base,it will be under stood that such cleats may be formed from the samematerial as the form plates 10 and 3h, i.e., of corrugated fiber boardstock either by use of multilayer stacks or by forming plates 10 and 30as to have such sloping edges to provide a complementary Wedging fittherebetween.

Having described the invention in connection with the foregoingmodifications thereof, it will be apparent that further modificationsmay now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it isintended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A package for sheet stock comprising a base including a first thinform plate with a first peripheral band on the inner face thereof havinginner wall surfaces perpendicular to said plate forming a bay adapted'toreceive said sheet stock, a lid including a second form plate with asecond peripheral band on the inner face thereof, said first and secondbands having outer and inner walls respectively of sloping sides andcorresponding dimensions form forming a wedge fit as said lid is placedover said base, and third and fourth peripheral bands secured to theouter faces of said form plates and of width exceeding the combinedwidths of said first and second peripheral bands to provide peripheralsupports for said stock inwardly of the inner wall surfaces of saidfirst peripheral band.

2. A non-abrasive package for sheet stock comprising a base including afirst form plate with a smooth nonabrasive face, peripheral cleats onsaid face forming inner wall surfaces which are perpendicular to saidface and forming a bay adapted to receive said sheet stock and formingexternal wall surfaces which slope outwardly from the tops of the wallsto intersect said plate along marginal lines inset from the edges ofsaid plate, a lid including a second form plate with a smoothnon-abrasive face, peripheral cleats on said face of said second plateforming inner wall surfaces sloping from the tops thereof to said faceof said second plate complementarily with respect to the external wallsurfaces on said base and of dimensions corresponding therewith, andexternal peripheral bands secured to said plates of both said base andsaid lid on faces thereof opposite said smooth faces and of widths toextend from the edges of said plates to points substantially beyond theinner walls of said base to provide a peripheral support for said sheetstock.

3. A non-abrasive package for sheet stock comprising a base including afirst form plate with a smooth nonabrasive face, peripheral cleats onsaid face forming inner Wall surfaces which are perpendicular to saidface and are dimensioned to form a bay adapted to receive said sheetstock and forming external wall surfaces which slope outwardly from thetops of the Walls to intersect said plate along marginal lines insetfrom the edges of said plate, a lid including a second form plate with asmooth non-abrasive face, peripheral cleats on said face of said plateof said lid forming inner wall surfaces sloping from the tops thereof tosaid face of said second plate complementarily with respect to theexternal wall surfaces on said base and of dimensions correspondingtherewith, external peripheral bands secured to said plates of both saidbase and said lid on faces opposite said smooth faces and of widths toextend from the edges of said plates to points substantially beyond theinner Walls of said base to provide a peripheral support for said sheetstock, and at least one cleat extending across said faces of said lidand of said base opposite said smooth faces thereof and of thicknessequal that of said peripheral bands and adapted to support said stock atan intermediate point along the length thereof.

4. A package of sheet stock comprising a base including a form platehaving a first peripheral band on the inner face thereof whose innerwall surfaces are perpendicular to the plane of said plate anddimensioned substantially to correspond with the external dimensions ofsaid sheet stock, and a lid including a second form plate with a secondperipheral band on the inner surface thereof, said first and secondbands having outer and inner walls respectively of sloping sides and ofcorre sponding dimensions that form a Wedge fit as said lid is placedover said base.

5. A pack-age of sheet stock comprising a base including a form platehaving a first peripheral band on the inner face thereof Whose innerWall surfaces are perpendicular to the plane of said plate anddimensioned substantially to correspond with the external dimensions ofsaid sheet stock, a lid including a second form plate With a secondperipheral band on the inner surface thereof, said first and secondbands having outer and inner walls respectively of sloping sides and ofcorresponding dimensions that form a wedge fit as said lid is placedover said base, and third and fourth peripheral bands secured to theouter faces of said form plates to provide peripheral supports therefor.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which mechanical fasteningmeans are employed to secure said third and fourth peripheral bands tosaid outer faces where said fastening means are positioned within thelimits of said first and second peripheral bands.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which spaced transversesupports extend across the outer surfaces of said form plates betweenopposite sides of said third peripheral band and between opposite sidesof said fourth peripheral band at substantially opposed positions onsaid lid and base.

8. A package for thin sheet material having a nonabrasive characterwhich comprises a base including a first thin form plate with a firstperipheral band on the inner face thereof having inner wall surfacesperpendlcular to said plate to form an inner bay, a lid including asecond form plate with a second peripheral band on the inner facethereof, the first and second bands having outer and inner wallsrespectively of sloping sides and corresponding dimensions to form awedge fit as said lid is placed over said base, and third and fourthperipheral bands secured to the outer faces of the form plates and ofwidth exceeding the combined widths of said first and second bands toprovide peripheral supports inwardly of the inner wall surfaces of saidfirst peripheral band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

